A Layman's Look at 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
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A Layman's Look at 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
Just trying to make sense of scripture
The Verses Under Examination: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 ESV 2 “Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 "Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 "Nevertheless, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.”
Abby's Analysis: Based on the seemingly-contrary views expressed in this difficult passage, I think Paul is quoting a previous letter that the Corinthians wrote to him. We see evidence of this in 1 Corinthians 5:9 where Paul references his own previous letter. And in 1 Corinthians 7:1, Paul references a Corinthian letter. Thus, we are entering this conversation mid-stream. Because we don't have access to either Paul or the Corinthian's previous letters, I've used my imagination to reproduce what I think the Corinthians may have said in their last letter to Paul. Imagine with me for a moment. Dear Paul, ...Look, you said that the head of man is Christ and the head of woman is man, right? Therefore, that means that men are answerable to God, but women are answerable to their husbands, right? So tell us, Paul, how does that work in prophesying? We think there ought to be a difference between how men and women prophesy. We think women need an outward symbol showing that they are operating under their husband’s authority when they prophesy. Otherwise, it’s a disgrace! The woman is making herself out to be just like a man and she might as well just cut her hair short like a man too! Head coverings are a married woman thing. Everyone knows that. So just like it would be a disgrace for a man to cover his head when prophesying, it’s a disgrace for wives NOT to cover their heads when prophesying. Don't you agree? When she prophesies without a head covering, it's like she's saying she doesn't have a husband. Women need a head covering showing that even if they are prophesying, they are still following the correct God-made order of things as established in Genesis when women came from man and was made FOR man. What do you think, Paul? Write back soon. Love, The Corinthians
So here's my best attempt to rewrite Paul's response. The ESV translation follows my version for your own comparison. 1 Corinthians 11:2-3 (Abby Version) 2 Now I commend you because you remember me in trying to work through this problem about head coverings in accordance with the traditions I told you. 3 But I want you to understand this phrase that I told you, “the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:2-3 (ESV) 2 “Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:4-6 (Abby Version) You Corinthians said, 4 "Just like it’s a disgrace to God for a man to pray or prophesy with his head covered, 5 so it's a disgrace to a husband for his wife to pray or prophesy with her head uncovered." You said that she might as well just cut off all her hair because that’s basically conveying the same thing. 6 For if a wife doesn’t cover her head, as is the custom for married women to do, she should chop her hair off like a man's. But since it is disgraceful for a woman to act like this, let her cover her head as is the custom. 1 Corinthians 11:4-6 (ESV) 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 1 Corinthians 11:7-10 (Abby Version) I can see why you say this, Corinthians, because after all, didn’t 7 Adam get his authority straight from God being made from God? And didn't Eve get her authority from Adam since she was made from Adam? 8 That’s what Genesis says, right? Adam wasn't taken out of Eve's side, but Eve was taken from Adam's side. 9 Not only that but Adam wasn’t made for Eve's sake, but Eve was made for Adam's sake. 10 Isn’t that why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because women are just messengers under a higher authority? 1 Corinthians 11:7-10 (ESV) 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 (Abby Version) This is an interesting line of reasoning, Corinthians, and I can see why you would argue such, but 11 consider this: yes, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man, but nor is man independent of woman; 12 for even though Eve was made from Adam's side, every man thereafter was born from a woman. And the origin of all things is God. So you can’t necessarily make these sorts of judgments based on who was made from whom in Genesis. 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 (ESV) 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 1 Corinthians 11:13-16 (Abby Version) 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Yes, that’s totally fine! 14 And everyone agrees that men making themselves to look like women is inappropriate. God didn’t make men to look the same as women. 15 God made woman to have a natural beauty that is part of their glory. It is something unique about women. She doesn’t need more than what God gave her on her head, a.k.a hair, as a sign of God’s glorious authority on her. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice of making the women wear head coverings, nor do the churches of God. 1 Corinthians 11:13-16 (ESV) 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.”
Conclusion: I like what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:6-8 as a conclusion to this. "I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!" ESV